Moodle course in teaching English language for specific purposes for masters in mechanical engineering

Abstract

The central thesis of this paper is that e-learning courses can have a significant impact on English language for specific purposes (ESP) proficiency of mining mechanical engineering students. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of ESP Moodle-based course “English for Mining Mechanical Engineers” and to reveal the results of its experimental approbation. In order to identify the lectures’ and learners’ needs we have applied the survey research. The survey confirmed the greatest demand for Moodle courses that include all the elements of a coherent training manual to provide self-development of engineering students. The interview results contributed to design of author’s ESP course syllabus. The importance and originality of this study are that to approbate the course materials’ effectiveness two approaches have been adopted simultaneously. The first is blended learning method based on e-learning platform applied in the experimental group and the second one is classic in-class instructor-led studying used in a control group. Students’ progress in ESP proficiency has been assessed using the cross assessment method. The experiment has validated the initial hypothesis that the special online courses focused on honing foreign language skills and integrated in the domain of specific professional knowledge have a beneficial effect on students’ communicative competencies in general. There were identified the advantages of self-tuition based on Moodle platform. The Moodle course lets the teachers save considerable in-class time to focus more on communicative assignments. The findings of this study have a number of practical implications in ESP online courses development.

1st Symposium on Advances in Educational Technology: Outlook

“…The comprehensive analysis has revealed some predicaments the course designer has to cope with, for example lack of background knowledge in the specific domains or significant difference in the level of English language proficiency within one class. This article highlights further research by the authors, begun in [146,240,242]. The problem of improvement of educational technologies in connection with the revealed problems, aggravated in the conditions of COVID-19, is considered in the article "Ensuring the effectiveness of e-learning based on online technology analysis of factors influencing the cognitive independence of students" [133] by Evgeniy A. Lavrov, Viktoriya G. Logvinenko (figure 66), Viacheslav V. Osadchyi, Olga Ye.…”

Features of using Moodle tools in the training of future social workers

“…The issue of using distance learning platforms in the educational system is considered by modern researchers around the world. The use of the Moodle distance learning system in the process of training future specialists in Ukraine and abroad is considered by Abdula et al [1], Mintii [25], Mintii et al [27,27], Mpungose [29], Shalatska et al [44], Teo et al [47]. To implement blended learning, the great part of the universities use learning content management system Moodle.…”